The present invention relates to a new and distinct Catharanthus plant, botanically known as Catharanthus roseus and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunnichitaro’.
The new Catharanthus plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new freely branching and vigorous Catharanthus plants with upright plant habit and numerous attractive flowers.
The new Catharanthus plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in June, 2006 of a proprietary selection of Catharanthus roseus identified as code number Casp2-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Catharanthus roseus identified as code number Cacv10-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Catharanthus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross- pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in April, 2007.
Asexual reproduction of the new Catharanthus plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since April, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Catharanthus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.